Bakeries and Buffoonery by Elizabeth Pantley is the fourth installment in her Magical Mystery Book Club series, and for readers of this series – you’re not going to want to miss out on this book. Paige, Glo, and the gang are back! Along with Mollie the ghost if you forgot. It’s time for a new book club meeting, and for a new mystery novel to be chosen! When the group finds a book about the drama surrounding a cake competition, it sounds like the perfect choice! Right?! Who wouldn’t want to investigate a mystery that swirls around an annual cake competition? But! Are they prepared for the twists and surprises that are in store for them? Well, there is definitely going to be a lot of cake, so dive in to see where the crumbs will lead them!
Bakeries and Buffoonery is a deliciously delightful addition to the series. The end of book three saw the entire book club come back to “reality” together, though with one new addition – Molly, the ghost. So the question will arise – will this new adventure see someone end up staying behind? Guess you’ll have to wait and see what happens. But brace yourself for the frosting to fly! Now, let the choosing begin!
This book, as the title suggests, the characters decide on a fun cozy mystery novel called “The Great Cake Rivalry.” Sounds like a fun choice right? Well, it’s all fun and games until someone gets murdered. What’s really different about this book is that you “meet” the killer in the first few pages. Don’t get too excited, you don’t “meet them meet them.” You get to see or hear things from their perspective. What once started out as a small humble baking competition got out of hand rather quickly and someone isn’t a fan of it. So, they’ve taken things into their own hands. A little mischief here and there, but when the contest refuses to be tamed, well, bigger plans must be made. Can the group step in and find out who the perpetrator is before they do more harm? Or will they not be able to figure things out before it’s too late?
The humor element of this novel is well done. You get sprinkles of it in the right places to keep the story entertaining without going overboard. Frank, especially himself gets into a couple of “predicaments” but they are really funny. Plus, he lets slip a little secret! Will we get to find out more about this tidbit of information that he lets slip out? Guess time will only tell, but for now be prepared to wait, because answers won’t be forthcoming in this book!
Vee takes center stage with this book in key moments in this book. Since Vee is an experienced baker she’s the go-to person for the other characters when it comes to the baking competition that is the focal point of the mystery. This competition isn’t solely for the pros, there’s a part that amateurs get to participate in as well! You’re going to be drooling over the descriptions of the various cakes described in this book. The confections described in this book will be a feast for your mind and have you wishing that you could have a taste. Man, these characters are so lucky to get to sample the various confectionery works. I know I’m going to be doing some research to find recipes or something similar to create myself. LOL!
The variety of characters in this book really helps this book shine. You’re always wondering – who is the culprit that they are looking for? Why do they (the culprit/killer) hate cake so much? If they hate cake so much, why haven’t they found some other place to live? I mean, I get it – the town used to be called “Lake Pleasant.” It’s understandable that not everyone is going to be pleased with the change to “Frosting.” There are quite a few red herrings scattered throughout this book though. You have the main “danger,” and then there is someone else who has an issue with...(gasp) pies?! Now THAT is an outrage! LOL! Who doesn’t like pie?! Brace yourself for quite a few surprises in this book.
Hoping for some sparks of romance? Great news! There is some in this book! What will it mean for the book club though? Will everyone be happy with the budding romance? Well, as we all know, things typically work out in the end, and this book will be no different. You will get a little teary-eyed though, so make sure you grab a kleenex.
With the addition of new elements, the author helps to keep this series fresh and from going stale. The characters come off as realistic and quite often relatable. You won’t be able to help laughing at some of their antics, and agreeing when one tries to “direct” another in more appropriate tactics. The characters really make the story enjoyable as they are often simply trying to one-up each other with their silliness.
Vee takes the cake with this book though. She shines brightly with her baking skills and dedication to the contest overall, even though there is no “grand prize” for the amateurs. Even when things go awry she never loses her cool! There are a couple of scenes where you’re going to expect her to get upset, but she never does. Tip of the hat to you Vee. You’re awesome and way better than me. LOL!
Packed with ups and downs, new discoveries, and pleasant surprises this book is a must-read for those who have enjoyed the series to this point. New to the series? You can dive into this book if you want to, but it’s always a good choice to start the series from the beginning and dive in so that you get the full immersive experience.
I’m rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.
My thanks to the author, Elizabeth Pantley, and the Cozy Mystery Review Crew for the opportunity to read and review this book.
No comments:
Post a Comment